


The Dragon on Coruscant

by idraax



Series: Star Wars Snippets [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, sorry for the terrible summary, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-11-14
Packaged: 2018-02-06 19:02:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 5,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1868940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idraax/pseuds/idraax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU where Palpatine shows that he's evil from the very beginning by threatening the younglings unless Anakin does things for him. </p><p>This is a series of snippets of this AU. </p><p>*Note: this is also on my tumblr and I write these snippets out of order and continually fit them into the timeline, so the chapter order keeps getting rearranged*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Incident number 1

**Author's Note:**

> And this is the first incident between Anakin and Palpatine. I’m debating on whether or not I should add details about what goes on in their ‘sessions’ or do vauge flashbacks with little to no detail. Any advice?

Anakin gave the teacup on the desk on uncertain look. It was one of those fancy ones that looked like they would break apart the moment you picked then up. In front of him, Chancellor Palatine gave him an encouraging smile. It only made him feel more uncertain.

"I’m afraid I’m not feeling quite well," he said, trying for his best apologetic and diplomatic tone. He resisted the urge to fiddle with the padawan braid , Obi-Wan said it was unbecoming of a Jedi.

"Perhaps another time," he told the Chancellor and tried to rise from the chair.

Palpatine waved him back down.

"Taraninn tea is supposed to be very good for illness." He took a sip from his own cup.

With an internal sigh, Anakin took a sip. The tea had a nutty flavor to it with a faint hint of sourness. He took another sip and wondered why the Chancellor’s smile seemed sinister and predatory all of a sudden.

* * *

  
It was night when Anakin got back to the temple. Luckily, at this late hour, there were no Jedi lingering in the halls and he got back to his rooms without any incident.

Quickly, he typed in the code and stumbled into the main area. He turned on the lights and made his way to the fresher, he needed to see how much damage had been done.

He entered the fresher, stripped and grimaced when he examined himself in the mirror. He was very, very glad that Obi-Wan had been sent on a mission that was deemed too dangerous for him to take Anakin along. He wouldn’t be back for a few weeks yet, which would hopefully give the injuries time to heal. There were no marks on any part of him that wasn't covered by clothing, so he’d just have to be careful when moving and hopefully no one would notice a thing.


	2. The Note

Anakin walked through the temple, noting the way that the Jedi around him would tense up, hands subconsciously twitching towards their sabers.

There had been a murder recently, a Padawan found on the base of the steps that led up to the temple entrance. That was all anyone knew; the Council was keeping the details secret. 

When he reached his rooms, there was a message waiting from him. It was on a flimsy, tucked into an envelope. He swallowed, a feeling of dread settling into him as a stone sinks into water. 

He opened it. There were pictures. 

On the flimsy was a message written in Palpatine’s hand. It said:

_Come to me or there will be more._

His hands shook as he picked up the pictures and turned them over. Immediately, he dropped them, eyes squeezing shut as he took deep breaths. 

He couldn’t tell anyone; they wouldn’t believe him.

He looked at the veins on his wrists. A thought bubbled up, but he pushed it away. It wouldn’t help and most likely would only make things worse.

Sighing, he let the rest of the note drop and he sat on the floor, reaching for the Force and trying to wrap himself up in it until the rest of the world faded away into a faint buzz at the very edge of his senses.

The Force was calming, settling his soul in a way that only his mother could do.

And for the very first time, he accepted the Force’s guidance, letting it flow through him and take him away from the world for a little while.

Eventually, he had to return.

Luckily, Obi-Wan wasn’t home yet, so quickly he turned on the stove and let the note burn. Then, he got himself a glass of water and settled down to do his assignments. 


	3. Padawan

"I’ve been assigned to Master Skywalker," the togruta girl said and he barely stopped himself from flinching. 

He couldn’t get a padawan. He  _couldn’t_. 

"No, no, there must be some mistake." He pointed at Obi-Wan. "He’s the one who wanted the padawan."

She shook her head. “Nope, Master Yoda was very specific. I’m assigned to Anakin Skywalker.”

 _No_. It was the thought that circled around in his mind, held back by durasteel shields. 

"We’ll sort this out later," Obi-Wan said and they all sprang back into battle. 

Much later, back on their ship, he found an empty room, sank down on his knees and tried to breathe. 

His last ‘session’ with the dragon was before they had left for the war and he could sense that the dragon was getting impatient and angry, even from this distance. 

_What if he wants her?_

The thought bubbled up and broke, something cold freezing his veins.  _He’d_  always been interested in who his associates were and word would travel fast that he’d gotten a padawan and-

_Kriff, what am I going to do?_

He took another breath and tried to sink down into the Force. It draped itself around him, soft and light. It wasn’t as deep as he wanted to go, but he could sense Obi-Wan and Ahsoka looking for him and he couldn’t let them worry. 

He straightened, knees popping a bit as he rose. He scrubbed at his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, hoping he looked presentable enough, before he stepped out to go find them. 


	4. War

Unlike the other Jedi, Anakin did not hate being on the frontlines. It left the Chancellor unable to summon him for long periods of time and being away from Corusant allowed him to breathe.

As much as he liked being at war, he hated too. It made Obi-Wan look constantly older than he actually was and Ahsoka was growing up far too fast. Mostly, he felt weary as the war and the dragon were constant weights that wore on his soul.

He was spending more and more time in meditation, a fact that made Obi-Wan constantly give him worried looks when he thought Anakin wasn’t looking. He’d have to think of something to tell him.

Unfortunately, Obi-Wan asked him before he could think of an excuse. He had cornered Anakin in an empty hallway and stood there, arms folded over his chest andone eyebrow raised. Anakin told him the truth, some of it anyway.

"The war is making me weary," he said leaning agains th wall.

Obi-Wan blinked, clearly not expecting that.

"Does this have anything to do with Geonosis," Obi-Wan asked carefully.

Anakin shuddered. He didn’t like to remember Geonosis. The war had started there. Padme had kissed him there and he had to reject her, because if she got involved with him, she would only get hurt. He had also gotten his arm cut off there.

"Anakin?" Obi -Wan sounded worried.

"Just tired," he said in reply and Obi-Wan nodded.

"You’ve grown up," he said. "I hadn’t noticed."

Anakin gave hima faint smile and peeled himself away from the wall.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be fine." ‘ _I have to be._ ’


	5. Routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Anakin have a routine for when Anakin comes back from his 'sessions' with the Chancellor

Ahsoka looked up as the main door closed. A moment later, she heard two doors open and close. Her Master would be in the ‘fresher now. She put the datapad on her desk and walked out of her room. He’d be in there for a while. Master Kenobi had told her that the Chancellor had summoned him. He’d summoned her Master enough times that Ahsoka knew what the routine was by now.

She walked into the kitchen and went about making tea. Her Master didn’t like tea very much, but this was one of the few times he’d drink it. As usual, she wondered if she should spike the tea with something, but as always, decided against it. She took out two cups and and waited for the tea to boil.

She poured it into the cups as she heard her Master enter the living area. He’d wait for her, sitting on one of the cushions across from the low table in the left corner of the room. It was next to the window and he knew she liked the view.

She bought the tea out, setting it down on the table before taking the seat across from him. She waited for him to take a sip before picking up her own cup. They never spoke during these times, but she could sense him calming and settling. He was always unsettled when he came back and for a brief moment she wished that he could stop seeing the Chancellor, because he had to the be the cause.

She took the cups back into the kitchen when they finished.

When she came back, the cushions were closer to the window and away from the table. Her Master was already sitting on one of them, breathing steadying out as the tension left him. She took the seat next to him. Her Master didn’t meditate this way much, preferring moving meditation instead of sitting still.

She closed her eyes and breathed out, settling into her own meditative pose. She wished she could do more to help, but for now this seemed to be enough.


	6. Leaving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka leaves the Jedi Order and the Council is somewhat warned about the dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure Ahsoka was getting too suspicious of Palatine so he concocted a plot to get her kicked out of the Order, but then the Order found out she was framed and asked her back, but she refused.

The room was silent as she closed his hands around the beads and stepped back.

“I can’t Master,” she said and he sighed in relief.

“Thank the force” he muttered, not quietly enough though, because they all heard.

“Master?” she frowned at him. He’d miss her, but she’d be much,  _much_  safer away from them.

“I’m no longer your Master Ahsoka,” he said gently, “you don’t have to call me that.”

Her frown grew deeper.

“Are you glad I’m leaving,” she asked, her voice flat. It wasn’t often she used that tone with him.

“Yes” he said simply. He didn’t see any reason to lie. Her face crumpled and behind them, he could hear all of the council members gasps.

“Why?” she said and her voice broke.

“You’re safer,” he told her. “In fact, you should get as far away from Coruscant as possible. It’s not safe here.”

“What?” Her eyes widened and he sighed. He had hoped she wouldn’t have to know about this.

“There’s a dragon on Coruscant, Ahsoka and he has a very long shadow. The farther you are, the better.”

“And  _who_  exactly is this dragon?”

He smirked, of course Master Windu would ask and in such a derisive tone too.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he said turning to face him. As always, Windu had a frown on his face and he shook his head slightly before turning back to face his former Padawan.

“Run,” he told her, “and hide for as long as it’s possible. You are connected to me and for that reason alone, he might come after you.”

He pushed her gently towards the door, ignoring her protests.

“Go and the force will be with you.”


	7. Saying Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being drawn to the Holocron Vault to listen to a message left by one of his Ancestors, Anakin talks to Yoda and Obi-Wan.

 

Today was not Obi-Wan Kenobi’s day. He had been woken up early in the morning by Master Yoda because someone had broken into the Holocron vault. Obi-Wan was pretty sure he knew who it was because there was no other reason why Master Yoda would have called him otherwise. 

He met Master Yoda at the entrance to the vault and they both walked in, just in time to hear the last lines of the holocron. 

"I know what you intend to do after you defeat the dragon descendant and I ask that you do not. I have  _seen_  your life and I wish that I could meet you. I would have liked to have known you. I feel that we would have gotten along well. Remember this my descendant, you are  _wanted,_ you are  _loved_ and you are stronger than the dragon."

The speaker vanished and they cautiously stepped fully into the vault. 

Anakin was there, as Obi-Wan suspected. He was sitting on the floor, with a weary expression on his face that cut into Obi-Wan. He looked up when they came to a stop in front of him. 

"Sorry," he said, "the Force told me I should break in here."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow and waited. 

"Okay, so it didn't  _exactly_  tell me to break into the vault. But,” he pointed to the holocron that Master Yoda was now examining, “it told me I needed to listen to that.”

Master Yoda levitated the holocron back to its place in the vault. He closed his eyes, consulting with the Force before fixing them both with a look they couldn't read. 

"A very old holocron that is," he said. "Needed to listen to it you did. Help did it?"

Anakin nodded. “I need to hear it’s message yes. I don’t know yet if it helped or not.”

In fact, the message had served to make him more confused. He knew what his duty was, but what was he supposed to do afterwards? He wouldn't be _needed_  anymore and he didn't think anyone except Obi-Wan would want him to stick around. His ancestor must be confusing him with someone else, but he  _had_  mentioned a lot of details about his relationship with the Chancellor. 

"I need to meditate on it," he said in response to Obi-Wan’s questioning and confused look. 

He got up from the floor, sighing. 

"Can you wait two days before you kick me out of the order? I’m going to go dragonslaying and I need my lightsaber." He withdrew a datastick and handed it to Master Yoda, who looked at him with a solem look. 

"Troubled I am by this" he said and Anakin nodded. 

"I am too," he said quietly and pointed to the datastick. "That contains evidence about who the dragon is. I’ve been collecting it for years." He said in a brisk tone. 

Obi-Wan frowned. Anakin only used that tone when planning for battle. 

"Exactly what are you going to do," he asked. 

Anakin turned to him with a sad, wistful expression on his face. 

"I know who the dragon, er…the Sith Lord I mean. I know who he is. I-" he swallowed, "I’ve known since I was a Padawan, that’s why I’ve been collecting the evidence. You wouldn’t believe me otherwise. I’m going to kill him." 

Master Yoda scowled. 

"Like this plan, I do  _not,”_ he said sternly.  ”Leads to the dark side, anger does.”

"I don’t  _care_ ,” Anakin snapped. “I’d rather fall then let him  _hurt_  anyone else.” 

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly 

"That’s why I’m telling you this," he said in a quieter tone. "I’ve been exposed to him for  _years._ I’ve tried so  _hard_  not to-” his voice broke and he took another breath. 

"That’s why," he continued, "if I fall, I  _need_  someone to kill me.” 

The sentence dangled in the air and Obi-Wan couldn’t believe his ears. He took a step forward and Anakin flinched. Obi-Wan stopped, stricken. 

Quickly Anakin stepped forward and grasped his hands, entwining their fingers and squeezing. 

"It doesn’t have to be you," he said in a voice that was just above a whisper. "I am so  _sorry._ There are many, _many_  things I need to tell you, but I  _can’t_  right now and I don’t know when I’ll be strong enough to.”

He let out a breath that Obi-Wan felt against his beard and leaned his forehead against Obi-Wan’s. 

"I am honored to have been your Padawan." 

And Obi-Wan sucked in a sharp breath. 

"Anakin, no"

"No matter what happens, none of this was your fault.  _None_  of it.”

“ _No_ ,” Obi-Wan said and tightened his grip. 

Gently, Anakin extracted his hands and stepped away. 

“ _Anakin_ " 

Obi-Wan took a step towards him and Anakin shook his head. 

"I have to do this," he said and walked out the door before Obi-Wan could stop him. 

Quickly, Obi-Wan made to run after him, but was stopped by Master Yoda’s stick. The old master shook his head. 

"Do this, he must."

"Master…"

"Stop him you must  _not_. A mission to Utapu you have.” He gave Obi-Wan a stern look and Obi-Wan looked at the floor. 

"Yes master" he said quietly. 

Master Yoda walked him out of the vault and away from the path which Anakin had taken. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Anakin was very out of character in this, but then again he thinks(hopes) he’s going to die, so…


	8. Palpatine

The fight in the Chancellor’s office is not going well for Mace Windu when Anakin Skywalker walks in with a grim look on his face. Palpatine grins at him with a hungry look and stops his attempt to choke Windu.

"So," he says, in a tone of voice that would normally make Anakin flinch, "you’ve finally come to join me."

In answer Anakin draws his blade, a black saber, and leaps for Palpatine’s throat. Palpatine blocks and they come together and break apart in a dark and violent symphony.

The fight is long and both of them bear cauterized wounds that would hamper their movements if they weren’t immersed in the Force.

The Force roils around them, a hurricane verging on the visible. Throughout the galaxy, it could be felt as something to which no one could put a name.

"There is nowhere safe in the galaxy for you," Palpatine shouts," there never was."

Anakin laughs, there is something mad in it, and Palpatine scowls. “You are telling me things I already know.”

"You will be worth nothing to them after this. Your use is over Chosen One." The last is said with such malice that Anakin falters and Palpatine nearly takes off a leg.

Anakin grits his teeth and continues fighting.

Hours pass and eventually,  _finally_ Palpatine is dead and Anakin’s saber crashes to the ground as he drops to his knees and shakes.


	9. Immediate Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin kills Palpatine

It was over. Sidious was dead and Order 66 was deactivated.

He let out a breath, releasing the tangle of his emotions into the Force. Master Windu looked at him, scrutinizing. He met his gaze, expression weary. Windu sighed.

"You have a lot of explaining to do Skywalker," he said as they made their way back to the temple.

He held up the small bag he was holding. It was black,had no ornamentation and contained several years worth of Holodisks.

"These" he said "should be explanation enough. He recorded our… ‘sessions’. There should be enough in there to tell you what his plans are."

Windu frowned at the pause.

"You aren’t going to watch them?" He said as the speeder pulled up to the landing pad.

Anakin shook his head and handed him the bag.

"I already lived it", he said stepping out of the speeder and walking into the temple.

Windu frowned and followed.

* * *

  
It was a well known fact that Anakin Skywalker did not like meditation. So, the Jedi walking past one of the temple’s many meditation rooms were understandably surprised to see him in one of them. Anakin paid them no mind, trying to focus on the Force. The wound in his mind gaped open, darkness spilling out and poisoning the rest of him.

He took another breath. The immediate force around him churned with emotion. but the rest of it was calm. He sank deeper into it, attempting to release the tangle of emotions that had welled up again. Encompassing it all was the same feelling he had gotten when he had come to the realization that there was no safe place for him in the galaxy.

He released another breath.

He remembered telling Qui-Gon once, that his faith in the Force was the only thing keeping him alive, but that faith was fading now and he was very, very, tired. All he wanted to do was rest. He wasn’t needed now anyway.


	10. A brief meeting

When the Council summoned him, Anakin knew it was time. His meditation hadn’t helped much, but through it he had come to the conclusion that he needed to leave the Order and take a sabatical of some sort. He knew he needed healing and he didn’t think he would find it here on the temple or on Coruscant.

Immediately when he set foot in the Council Chamber he knew they had gone through the holodisks. Taking a soundless breath, he strode to the center and waited.

None of the council members met his gaze and none of them seemed inclined to speak. He sighed,loudly and several of them jumped.

"Am I needed here," he asked,"or can I leave for a few weeks?"

Master Yoda blinked at him.

“Where you shall go?”

He consulted with the Force, drawing on it to numb the dark chasm in his soul. He had no idea on how he was going to heal it, but he had to try. It couldn’t be allowed to fester.

"Illum,"he said finally.

Master Yoda studied him for a long time before finally nodding.  
“Good for you it will be.” He said.”Take Master Kenobi you will.”

He sucked in a breath and tightened his shields before the Force could churn with his emotions.

"Master," he asked, frowning.

"Good for you both it will be," Yoda said and he bowed in acknowledgement.

"Yes master"


	11. Illum

Illum was a planet strong in the unifying force. This was the one most Jedi preferred because it was calmer than the living force. For Anakin, Illum was perfect. There wasn’t much life on Illum, so he could safely let go of his emotions without hurting anyone. He’d just have to let Obi-wan know to tighten his shields.

"No," Obi-wan said,frowning at him.

Anakin sighed and repeated himself.

"And what, exactly, makes you think I’ll letyou go through this alone?"

Anakin merely gave him a look and Obi-wan sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I know I have not been there when you needed me, but I’d like to be here for you now if you’ll have me."

Anakin studied him for a long time, lthe silence between them growing more and more anxious with each passing minute.

"It Will hurt," he said eventually and Obi-Wan nodded.

"I will not let you go through it alone," he replied.

Together they stepped inside the crystal caves.


	12. Anger

Connecting with the Force on Illum was like stepping into a cold and still lake and letting the water close over your head. 

He let out a long, slow breath, slowly dismantling the layers and layers of shielding he had built over the years. Obi-Wan’s presence next to him was a steady center in the Force, projecting nothing but calm and a slight curiosity. He had shields up that would prevent his emotions from being projected and for that Anakin was grateful. He didn’t know how he would handle his own emotions, having set them aside to be dealt with in a later that looked like it would never come, and he knew he wouldn’t have been able to deal with Obi-Wan’s emotions too. 

Finally, his shields were gone and the sharp tear in his soul was fully exposed to the Force. 

The Force around him dimmed, as the darkness that the wound contained spilled out in to it. Next to him, Obi-Wan’s presence faltered briefly before resuming its steadiness. 

He examined the wound and the darkness surrounding it. The edges of the wound looked like they were slowly healing and it gave him hope that perhaps, someday, the entire thing would heal. The darkness was a different story. 

It poured from the wound, the strongest parts of it turned inwards, held back from the rest of his soul by a thin looking barrier of light. He frowned at it, wondering where he should begin with it. 

Some of the darkness, however, was turned outward. Strands of it branched out into the Force. One of them led to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan’s signature dimmed a bit, acknowledging it. 

Anakin poked at the strand and it rippled, sending a wave of emotions through him. 

The first was anger. Anger that Obi-Wan couldn’t help him, that he hadn’t even seemed to notice that something was wrong and that he hadn’t tried harder to figure it out when he did. 

He wasn’t too surprised at this emotion and even Obi-Wan acknowledged it, sending a wave of apology his way. 

The next was grief. 

He recoiled from it, confused and reached out to the rest of the Force. 

The Force curled around him giving him strength.  _It will be alright,_ it seemed to tell him. He tugged it further towards him, wrapping himself up in it like a comfortable blanket. 

He reached for Obi-Wan too and Obi-Wan responded with another wave of calm and a certainty that he  _there._


	13. Grief

Grief is a terribly strong thing. The thick black strand of it that linked him and Obi-Wan pulsed with a low and dull throb. It was old, very old and had probably started from the moment Qui-Gon had died. He tapped it gently and nearly jerked back as the emotion cut into him, freezing. 

He had known that his and Obi-Wan’s relationship wasn’t the best and now he knew why. The grief was linked to his own self-loathing. A thick rope that he was afraid could never be unraveled. 

 _I am proud of you_ , Obi-Wan said through their connection. He had lowered his shields slightly and Anakin could feel his emotions, though not at the level at which Obi-Wan himself must feel. 

 _You are very strong,_ Obi-Wan continued and Anakin could feel his hesitation before he spoke again.  _I will not think any less of you if you let me feel all of it._

And the worst part was that Anakin  _wanted_ to let him feel all of it, to share the burden, but his emotions were too strong, too intense, a consequence of setting them aside for too long. 

 _Trust me. Trust the Force,_ Obi-Wan urged, sensing him wavering.  _I am here for you Anakin and I will not leave. I will not._

Still Anakin hesitated, immersing himself deeply in the Force, deeper than he had ever dared to go. 

 _Faith_ , the Force whispered to him.  _Have faith and trust. It will be all right._

That last line sounded like Qui-Gon. 

Anakin breathed out, breath curling and scattering in the frigid air of the cave. 

 _Ok,_ he told Obi-Wan and willed himself to let go. 


	14. Storm

It was quiet in the crystal caves on Illum. The Force in those caves, however, was not quiet. It surged and rolled, rippling out into the depths of space where every single Force sensitive could sense the very edges of the storm. 

On Coruscant, Yoda closed his eyes and took a breath. There was nothing any of them could do except wait. 

On Illum, Obi-Wan’s body quivered as he sat directly next to the very center of the storm. Anakin’s emotions crashed over him, mingling with his own until he couldn’t tell them apart. It hurt and he could feel tears freezing on his cheeks. 

The sharp blade of the darkness was turned on them, slowly cutting closer and closer, only held back with the most delicate shielding made of love. Love was what fueled the light in Anakin and the intensity of it made Obi-Wan’s own light quiver and reach out in an effort to connect, to  _share_. 

In these moments, he understood Anakin as he never had before and he knew that when this ended, he would carry that understanding with him. 

Taking a deep breath into himself, Obi-Wan too let his shields down and his emotions join the storm. 

Around Anakin, the storm faltered as a wave of love and calm came from the light next to him. It grew brighter, slowly, steadily, carefully. It felt…he couldn’t find the words, but it was nice. And for once, he actually felt like he believed the Force when it said that everything would turn out okay. 


	15. Retrieval

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mace Windu comes to collect Obi-Wan and Anakin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never written Mace Windu before and this entire snippet is from his point of view-sort of.

It was the quiet that got to him. 

 _To Illum you must go. Find Skywalker and Kenobi you shall._  Master Yoda had said and now he was here, on a planet that registered as too quiet to all of his senses. He was really regretting coming alone. 

He followed the traces of the force signatures to one of the crystal caves. After the Force storm had eased, the Force had felt like a deep and still lake. It would take it a while to get back to its usual flowing state. Skywalker and Kenobi’s signatures stood out like beacons.

Carefully, he entered the cave and came to an abrupt halt at the sight before him. 

Skywalker and Kenobi lay there, all tangled up in each other. If it wasn’t for their breath, swirling about in the air, he would have thought them dead. Even their Force signatures were unusually dim. 

Quickly, he walked over and gently shook a shoulder. 

Kenobi blinked and shifted, causing Skywalker’s hands to tighten on his coat. 

"Master Yoda sent me to get you two." He said, fighting the strange urge to smile. 

Kenobi blinked again and then gently pried Skywalker’s hands off of his coat. 

"It’s time to get back, Anakin," he said, gently shaking a shoulder. "Master Windu’s here to pick us up."

"Wha-" Skywalker mumbled, stumbling to his feet and swaying into Kenobi. 

He frowned at them, noting the ice on both of their faces and the way they leaned into each other, possessive and protective. As he had before, he wondered how close they were and what that meant for the rest of the Order. 

"Come on", he said gently, moving to Skywalker’s other side to help support him if needed. 

"Yeah," Skywalker said, "let’s go home."

He had never seen Kenobi smile like that before. 


	16. Home

The happiest moment of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s life comes when he sees Anakin actually asleep.

He’s lying on the bed, hugging a pillow. The blankets have been pushed to the foot of the bed, it’s warm in the room, and one end drapes onto the floor. Anakin is drooling.

Obi-Wan smiles softly and reaches with the Force to make sure that everything is truly alright. He slumps onto the bed in shock and freezes. One of Anakin’s hands twitches and brushes his thigh. Obi-Wan smiles again and picks it up, entwining their fingers and stroking gently.

The Force radiates with a feeling of safety that he has  _never_  felt from Anakin before. There is the feeling of peace and calmness that runs so deep that Obi-Wan can feel himself sinking into it and yawning. He shifts, taking off his boots and moving to lie flat on the bed.

He is still holding Anakin’s hand when he falls asleep. The last thing he feels from the Force is the feeling of being  _home_.


End file.
